Editorial opinion way off base

You were right about one thing -- teachers are dedicated and passionate, but to accuse them of withdrawing services in order to "toe the hard union line" flies in the face of logic. Teachers democratically elect union representatives to make decisions on their behalf in the exact same way we elect political representatives. Your editorial conveniently omits the 97 per cent strike mandate that OSSTF members gave the union a month ago.

You betray yourselves when you say in one breath that money is involved and then in another conclude that the teachers' fight with the government is about money or retirement gratuity or unpaid days off. It is not, and never was. Teacher unions did not balk when asked for restraint. Union proposals to the government actually helped them save more than Bill 115 demanded, but the Liberals flatly rejected them. No, the fight is over the illegal and undemocratic removal of teachers' right to collectively bargain with their employers rather than have the government impose a contract on them. That guaranteed right was summarily abrogated and placed beyond challenge to the Canadian Charter, the Labour Relations Act, and the courts.

Imagine you woke up tomorrow to find that freedom of the press had been declared null and void by the government, that newspapers had four months to get used to the idea, and that trying to launch any challenge would take four or five years for your case to be heard.

Would that be worth fighting for? If it happens once it could happen again.

Perhaps your next editorial should be titled 'Time for parents, students to stand up to the government'.